The Oakley Arctic Challenge went down in Oslo from 17th-19th February 2011, and this edits shows the riding of the winners and runners-up (among them Chas Guldemond, Tyler Flanagan, Jamie Anderson and Jenny Jones) as well as some rare behind the scenes and party moments.

The Isenseven crew put together this nifty clip of The Oakley Arctic Challenge that went down in Oslo from 17th-19th February 2011.
You’ll get to see some riding of the winners as well as some rare behind the scenes and party moments. Good times!

Process Films are a new film crew out of Norway that look to be promising big things. These guys were criss-crossing the globe last winter with a selection of über-talented Scandies like Tore Holvik, Joacim Nyhaugen, Sindre Iversen, Mats Hofgaard, Torgeir Bergir and many more. For those bummed at the shutting up shop of Factor Films, Process looks to be continuing the tradition of opening the world’s eyes to the staggering pool of talent in the Scandinavian countries. Check out their haps on the Process Films site.

They’ve just dropped a tight edit of their take on this year’s Arctic Challenge, featuring some of their homies and other hammer droppers getting wicked on TAC’s epic slopestyle course. Check it out.

Cinematography: Per Sveinung Larsen and Matt Pain Edit and Graphics: Matt Pain

Where: Oslo, Norway

For a true shred nerd the final runs from Mikkel Bang, Torstein Horgmo and Peetu Piiroinen at the Arctic Challenge last weekend have been a wet dream come true. We still think the slopestyle course was sick, the riding was excellent despite the poor visibility, and Peetu deserved the victory. Nuff said, grab your moisturizer, some tissue, and check these videos of the runs again and again!

Mikkel’s Run

Torstein’s Run

Peetu’s Run

Where: Oslo, Norway

Mehr Snowboarden >>

This 6Star Oakley Arctic Challenge (TAC) saw 32 of snowboarding’s best slopestyle riders whittled down to the three best slopestyle riders worthy enough to step on the podium. See what happened and how it went down, Featuring interviews with the legendary Terje Haakonsen and amazing riding action from the best in international slopestyle snowboarding. It is defo worth watching as it includes some rare footage of winner Peetu Piiroinen doing a victory dance!

Where: Oslo, Norway

A familiar sight this season... Photo: Glen Bisset Eriksen/TAC

Peetu Piiroinen won TTR 6-Star event of the Oakley Arctic Challenge 2010, after knocking Norwegian Torstein Horgmo out of the Viking King chair in Wyllerløypa/Norway on Sunday.

In a gripping slopestyle final, the 22-year-old Fin once again showed his mastery on the board and nailed a third and final run that earned him victory in the contest as well as the 2010 Swatch TTR Tour title. His winning run consistedt of a 360 rail combo and a Boardslide to Cab 450 over the upper obstacles, a massive Backside 10 Late Cork and a Backside Rodeo 7 over the kickers and the biggest air of the day, a Frontside Crail, over the hip. Nobody else was able to beat his score of 90.60 points for this run.

Earlier in the finals, a lot of riders struggled with the flat light and could not land their tricks from the qualifications and semi finals. It was Belgian Seppe Smits, who eventually kicked of the trick brouhaha with a technical run, including a good Back 12. Canadian young gun Mark McMorris followed with the first Double Cork of the day, garnished with a Double Backside Rodeo. And if it seemed throughout the first two (of three) runs that most big names like Mikkel Bang, Torstein Horgmo, and Peetu Piiroinen would not get their runs dialled, they all unleashed some madness in their final run. Torstein in particular impressed spectators and judges with his run, consisting of a Switch Backside 12, a Front 7 and a massive Back 7 over the three jumps. His 88.90 secured him the second place ahead of fellow Norwegian Mikkel Bang, who once again showcased his trademark laidback style.

So what does this mean for TTR world ranking leader Peetu? The win secured him 1000 Swatch TTR Ranking points and an unassailable lead over his competitors on the ranking list. He will be crowned at the Burton US Open in two weeks time to become the first snowboarder ever winning two consecutive Swatch TTR Tour Champion titles. Two top things off he collects a large chunk of the US$ 100,000 prize money for the event and US$ 50,000 for the TTR title. Ker-ching!

Complete Results

Where: Oslo, Norway

Torstein Horgmo. All photos: stubberud.

Saturday saw the semi finals of the 6Star Oakley Arctic Challenge on the Tryvann Vinterpark slopestyle course on the scenic outskirts of Oslo, Norway. Peetu Piiroinen (FIN) was in form and qualified in the top spot of his heat leaving Seppe Smits (BEL) in second and Torstein Horgmo (NOR) in third place. The second heat was dominated by the two Norwegian warriors Mikkel Bang and Tore Holvik leaving Eric Willett (USA) in third. In the final tomorrow, ten qualified snowboarders including Mark McMorris (CAN), Ville Uotila (FIN), Roope Tonteri (FIN) and Sage Kotsenburg (USA) will ride it out for the coveted TAC Title and of course a maximum 1000 Swatch TTR Ranking points.

The morning arrived with clear blue skies and all day the sun warmed up the multitude of snowboard fans who had arrived with their friends, flags, pets and baby strollers to support their favourite riders. The second kicker had been reshaped opening all the five obstacles on the slopestyle course, and though the riders still had a bit of trouble with the speed on the second kicker, the level of riding was high. The judging included single obstacle scores and one overall flow score, which gave current Swatch TTR Tour leader Piiroinen the highest score of the day with his second run consisting of: cab270 on to fakie, a frontside 540 off the canon rail, a backside 1080 corked, a backside rodeo 720 and a gigantic frontside air off the hip. In the second heat Bang set the bar high on his second run with a gap to backside lipslide, a stylish backside 180 nosebonk over the canon rail, a cab 720, a switch backside 900 and a backside indy off the hip.

Mikkel Bang.

Good ol’ Peetu is still in the race to collect enough points at TAC to create an unassailable lead to his competitors on the TTR World Ranking list. If he manages to do so he will be crowned at the 6Star Burton US Open in two weeks time becoming the first snowboarder ever winning two consecutive Swatch TTR Tour Champion Titles. Peetu, whose countless stellar contest appearances do not seem to wear him out at all, said, “It was good today. I stomped my three runs and qualified first. I hope that I can be in the top 5 tomorrow so that I win the TTR title. That takes the pressure from the US Open for me.”

There are two riders who could snatch the TTR World No. 3 spot away from Gjermund Braaten (NOR) who today did not qualify. Up and coming rookie Roope Tonteri who recently took 3rd at the 5Star slopestyle of the Burn River Jump in Italy and TTR newbie and winner of the recent 5Star River Jump slopestyle format, Eric Willett, who currently sits in World No. 9, while McMorris, Uotila, Holvik and Smits are all eager to secure a result that will move into the TTR World Top 10.

Ulrik Badertscher.

Live Webcast

Watch the 6Star Oakley Arctic Challenge live on our website starting 13:00 (CET) to watch who will make it to the TTR Top10, whether Tonteri or Willett take the 3rd spot on the TTR World Ranking or if Peetu can secure his unassailable tour lead.

Top 10 going to Sunday’s finals:

Peetu Piiroinen
Mikkel Bang
Tore Holvik
Eric Willett
Seppe Smits
Torstein Horgmo
Mark McMorris
Ville Uotila
Roope Tonteri
Sage Kotsenburg

Not qualified:

Marko Grilc
Mats Hofgaard
Matti Kinnunen
Gjermund Braaten
Ulrik Badertscher
Sam Hulbert
Chas Guldemond
Arthur Longo
Stale Sandbech
Brandon Reis

Where: Oslo, Norway

The Arctic Challenge 2010. Photo: Andy/TTR

As already announced, this Friday the 6Star Oakley Arctic Challenge (TAC) saw 32 of the snowboarding’s best slopestyle riders battling for one of twenty spots in the semi finals that will be held on Saturday. Norwegian wonder-shred Torstein Horgmo qualified first on his Norwegian home turf.

After a difficult start into the day with icy conditions and speed problems on the second jump, the decision was made to only take the first jump into account during qualifications. When the skies had cleared around noon, qualifications started off full swing. Torstein Horgmo outshone his competitors with a backside 180 switch 180 into fifty-fifty to cab 360 out on top rail, a backside 540 off the cannon rail, a huge switch backside 900 on the kicker and a backside 720 transfer on the hip. With his killer second run in the qualifications, another famous Norwegian, Mikkel Bang, came into second closely followed by Canadian rookie Mark McMorris who recently tool third in the 5Star Burn River Jump in Livigno.

With most TTR Top 20 riders present in Oslo, qualifications for the semi finals were no walk in the park. Peetu Piiroinen (FIN), who can secure his second Swatch TTR World Champion Title this weekend, made the cut into semis and qualified in ninth place. Other riders who battle for a spot in the TTR Top 5 this weekend are World No. 3 Gjermund Braaten (NOR), World No. 4 and winner of the 6Star Billabong Air & Style Marko Grilc, winner of the 5Star Burn River Jump slopestyle format and current World No. 9 Eric Willett (USA), and the young Norwegian in World No. 10, Stale Sandbech. Korpi (FIN), Autti (FIN), Malin (FIN), and Haller (SUI) were not successful today and did not make the cut to the semis. In two weeks time at the last 6Star event of the Tour, the le-gen-dary Burton US Open, the best five riders of the TTR World Ranking list will receive a piece of the end of season Swatch TTR prize purse of $200,000 USD as well as the guaranteed invites to next season’s 6Star events.

Mark McMorris at the Arctic Challenge 2010. Photo: Andy/TTR

Results

1 Torstein Horgmo
2 Mikkel Bang
3 Mark McMorris
4 Seppe Smits
5 Chas Guldemond
6 Ulrik Badertscher
7 Eric Willett
8 Gjermund Braaten
9 Peetu Piiroinen
10 Sam Hulbert
11 Mads Hoffgaard
12 Sage Kotsenburg
13 Roope Tonteri
14 Ville Outila
15 Tore Holvik
16 Brandon Reis
17 Arthur Longo
18 Stale Sandbech
19 Matti Kinnunen
20 Marco Grilc

Peetu front 10s his way to his first ever 6-star TTR win at the BEO. Photo: Danny Burrows.

As The Arctic Challenge approaches, Peetu’s in a good position to become the first rider ever to win back-to-back TTR World Tour titles.

While Peetu Piiroinen‘s solid consistency saw him crowned TTR champ last year, he never managed to bag a 6-Star title on his procession to the top spot. This season, however, he’s more than ironed out that annoying crease with back-to-back firsts in the Slopestyle and Halfpipe at the 6-Star Burton European Open adding to the points he got from podiuming at the O’Neill Evolution (third in slope and pipe) and the Billabong Air&Style (2nd). That this compact ball of Finnish power has been on fire is an understatement. With many riders opting to focus on the Olympics, Peetu focussed on both, bagged Silver in Vancouver and is within touching distance of retaining his TTR crown not to mention taking first in the non-TTR Toyota Big Air last week. So hot right now? The kid’s gone nuclear.

Heading in to this weekend’s Arctic Challenge (a slopestyle contest this year), Peetu’s sat on 924.64 points. Is he sitting pretty? Will he get his hands on the trophy ahead of the season-ending US Open? Let’s take a look…

Double P topping the BEO podium. Photo: Danny Burrows.

Here’s the skinny. Regardless of how other riders do, if Peetu places 5th or higher at The Arctic Challenge he wins the whole shebang. Done deal. He’ll be the TTR’s first ever back-to-back champion.

However, if he finishes 6th or lower at TAC the Champagne popping will have to wait as Iouri Podladtchikov could wrestle first place from him with two first place finishes at the US Open Slopestyle and Halfpipe. If Peetu comes lower than 8th at TAC, Iouri could snag the title with any combo of 1st and 2nd at the US Open.

The Arctic Challenge’s decision to make the change from a monster quarterpipe to a slopestyle contest this year also shakes things up further. Had it been another huge QP, we would have gone all in for Peetu getting 5th, if not winning the things outright – the guy is one of the select few riders who can really push it on such creations. But a slopestyle, with its many hits and TAC’s unique judging criteria, could be different. With guys like Torstein Horgmo, Mikkel Bang (who ran Peetu close in the BEO slopestyle), X-Games winner Eero Ettala, Germund Bråten and Marko Grilc in the mix, not to mention a barn load more talented shredders who’re also capable of having a say, that 5th place is far from guaranteed.

First hit of his winning pipe run in Laax. Next hit was a monster front double cork 10 that sent everyone nuts. Photo: Danny Burrows.

You want our prediction? Peetu will get the points he needs. As his runs at the BEO and the Olympics showed, he just does not have it in him to hold back and, furthermore, he’s one of those guys who has the uncanny knack of putting it down when it really counts. TAC’s gonna be intense, that’s for sure, so make sure you check out all the action from Oslo on March 5th-7th.

If you can’t make it to Oslo to see things unfold in the flesh, get your face marbles involved in the live webcast on www.ttrworldtour.com.